Photo 3328146, (c) Karolle Wall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Karolle Wall

Attribution © Karolle Wall
some rights reserved
Uploaded by hermissenda hermissenda
Source iNaturalist Canada
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

Observer

hermissenda

Date

April 7, 2016

Description

Three Marsenina stearnsi (Stearn's Ear Shell) were found in the shallow intertidal zone on a rock face nowhere near the compound tunicate they feed on. Rather than being camouflaged and difficult to see, they stood out. They were also larger than has been noted by previous observers, being slightly over 1 inch (2.5 cm). I thought this was a sea slug at first, but noticed that tiny barnacles were living on the back of one, suggesting a shell was present beneath its white, pored mantle.

Sizes